Vintage Or Modern, Cufflinks Are A Must-Have For A Man of Taste
Cufflinks are a must-have accessory that will make you look glamorous and can transform an ordinary shirt into something classy.
Whether in gold, silver, steel, or silk, cufflinks made a strong comeback in recent years. Very popular among dynamic men, or worn for a wedding or a party, this little exquisite fashion accessory has once again entered the big leagues.
If you like to be in trend and have a stylish look, I guess you will probably have noticed the resurgence of cufflinks in men's fashion.
Though we might think the little cufflink is a modern invention, you should know that this accessory has a long, long history. Luckily, once reserved for kings and princes, they eventually became mainstream and are now worn on the cuffs of quality men's shirts.
Cufflinks - An Antique Accessory
During excavations in Egypt, archaeologists discovered in tombs small accessories strongly resembling the cufflinks of nowadays. However, no evidence could be provided that the Egyptians wore these accessories like cufflinks. Many years later, men wore shirts whose sleeves they rolled up using ribbons that they passed through the holes in the cuffs of the shirt.
It was in the 16th century that the first cufflinks made their appearance, with two buttons linked by a chain. The 17th century definitely marked the arrival of this men's accessory in the daily lives of kings and princes. Today, we still do not know for sure who exactly invented cufflinks.
Cufflinks became fashionable accessories at the court of King Louis XIV. His tie-maker was responsible for checking that the king was perfectly dressed in his finery; cufflinks were therefore part of it.
Made in gold or silver, these cufflinks were adorned with: precious stones, semi-precious stones, mother-of-pearl inlays, enamel, crystal, and glass.
Some, in gold or silver, were engraved with the initials or coat of arms of the wearer. Others were engraved with the name of the county or the principality and were then worn as a rallying sign.
The industrial revolution brought the "democratization" of cufflinks. George Krementz invented the large-scale cufflink-making machine.
Nevertheless, this accessory remains the prerogative of the rich bourgeois and the nobles. The appearance of the musketeer shirt (actually the shirt with cufflinks) greatly contributed to the development of the cufflinks.
At the beginning of the 20th century, cufflinks made their entry into haute couture collections. Almost neglected until the 90s, when they were used as advertising items, especially in the United States, cufflinks knew a great comeback in recent years. Since then, their success has only grown.
The Elements Of Cufflinks
Vintage or modern, the cufflinks have some standard elements. They are mainly composed of three parts:
- The visible side/front face is usually decorated (engraved precious metal, semi-precious or precious stones, silk, leather, etc.).
- The metal rod connects the visible side to the clasp button.
- The toggle is the bottom part of the cufflink that tilts at 90° and ensures that the button stays in place on the cuff of the shirt.
Some designs, such as silk cufflinks, form a single button. Others have a closure system integrated into the button, such as ball cufflinks.
There are Many Shapes Of Cufflinks
1. Bullet Back Cufflinks are one of the most common, and universally known cufflinks. This type of cufflinks includes a metal bar with a bullet aesthetic that attaches to the bridge of the cufflinks. This metal bar rotates 90 degrees so that you can pass it through your cuffs easily.
2. Whale Back Cufflinks are quite similar to bullet back cufflinks but offer a more secure backing that locks into place once flipped.
3. Fixed Back Cufflinks have no movable parts. They slide through the cuffs of your sleeve without needing any adjustments.
4. Ball Return Cufflinks include rounded fixtures on both ends and usually one side is bigger than the other. The smaller side will be the back of the cufflink.
5. Chain Style Cufflinks have a flexible bridge shaped like a chain that connects the front and back ends of the cufflinks.
6. Knotted Cufflinks are composed of two heads separated by a short bit of soft cord, usually silk.
7. Locking Cufflink: with a more innovative design, these kinds of cufflinks are secured through a closure similar to that of a wristwatch. They are conceived with a dual-locking system.
What Type Of Cufflink To Choose According To Your Style And Budget
As a man of taste, there is no doubt that you will carefully choose your future new cufflinks. To help you find your way among the different types of cufflinks, you should know that there are many models sold in jewelry or retail stores:
- cufflinks made of gold, silver, or platinum are the most valuable and elegant. They can be adorned with precious stones such as diamonds, sapphires, or rubies. Such accessories are quite expensive but if you can afford it, it is worth buying them.
- cufflinks made of steel: this type of accessory is indestructible and represents a good alternative to gold or silver. They can have a modern, quirky, or classic look.
- cufflinks with enamel, crystal, or glass: the decoration is fixed in the metal button of gold or silver. Be careful, these cufflinks are quite fragile.
- cufflinks made of silk: the silk is mounted on a metal support. These are the most fragile of all.
- cufflinks made of wood or leather: a great novelty in recent years, the wooden or leather cufflinks are nice but must absolutely not get wet.
Depending on your budget, because the price varies from a few tens to several thousand or even tens of thousands of dollars, you can choose the cufflinks that suit you best.
A gold, silver, platinum, or steel model will match all colors of the jacket, shirt, bow tie, or tie.
If you pick cufflinks in silk, you will then have to check in detail the colors of your outfit, to harmonize your cufflinks.
Leather or wooden cufflinks will be perfect with a modern and chic style outfit at the same time.
Just as a tie and bow tie should match the shirt, cufflinks should also match your entire outfit. Cufflinks in gold, silver, or steel are truly versatile. But if you choose a pair of colored cufflinks, plan to match your cufflinks to:
- Your jacket pocket.
- Your tie or the bow tie
- Your belt buckle
- Your watch
Cufflinks in 2022 are really on the rise. If this is your first purchase, especially on the occasion of a wedding, we advise you to invest in a valuable pair for such a special day.
If you want to have a collection of cufflinks, buy different models in several colors so that when the time comes, you can easily choose which cufflinks will be yours today.
DSF Antique Jewelry offers you a wide variety of cufflinks. Explore now our online shop and find the perfect model for you!
